According to a study conducted in Israel among about 800 subjects, the strain of the virus "breaks into the immune system to some extent" • Evaluation: The effectiveness of the vaccine does not decrease drastically
The South African variant of the corona is more resistant to the vaccine than the British variant, according to a joint study by the Clalit Research Institute and Tel Aviv University.
Pfizer's Corona Vaccine Production Chain // Photo: Pfizer
According to the study, the first of its kind, the strain manages to "break in" to some extent the protection afforded by Pfizer's two vaccine doses.
However, the researchers were reluctant to say that the rate of decline in vaccine effectiveness could not yet be accurately estimated.
They estimate that its effectiveness does not decrease drastically, since this specific variety is very rare in Israel.
Investigators located Clalit HMO patients who were found to be verified for corona starting on the 14th day after receiving their first dose of vaccine.
"It should be noted that the high efficacy of the corona vaccine has resulted in a very low number of vaccines being infected in the corona, and once detected, any vaccine found positive for the corona was 'attached' to a vaccine similar in age, sex, sector, residence and other characteristics," the researchers said.
According to Prof. Adi Stern of Tel Aviv University, the study found significantly more cases of the South African strain among the second-dose vaccinated compared to the control group.
"This means that the South African strain can to some extent break through the immune defenses," she said.
The study was based on about 800 subjects (about 400 pairs) of vaccinated and unvaccinated who were found to be positive for corona.
All isolated viruses were sent for genetic sequencing.
The study, conducted as a collaboration between researchers from the Clalit Research Institute and Tel Aviv University, was led by Professor Shai Ben Shachar, Director of the Department of Personalized Medicine at Clalit's Innovation Division, Dr. Doron Netzer, Head of the Clalit Community Division, and Prof. Adi Stern of the Shmonis School For biomedical research and cancer in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University.
Prof. Ran Blitzer, Clalit's news director and lead author of the study, said: "If we experience another outbreak, the South African strain is now the most likely candidate for an outbreak by causing the disease unvaccinated, but also in the vaccinated (compared to the British strain). "This is widespread, due to a combination of the (partial) protection of the widespread vaccine and other precautions (distance mask).
